The Turning Tide
by Allie02
Summary: Their bodies fell easily into each other as they swayed to the music, slower and more deliberate than previously. John Teyla.


_Written for the 10passions LiveJournal community for the theme 'along the moonlit bay'. Warning: sexual situations.  
_

x x x

**The Turning Tide**

Taking in the scene before her, Teyla smiled to herself. The negotiations during the day had been more trying than she had anticipated, but with the Valecians keen to conclude talks before the Royal Ball and Rodney eager to return to Atlantis, they had come to an agreement late in the day. Following the Colonel's somewhat reluctant acceptance of an invitation to the Ball, she had agreed to stay behind with him as Rodney and Ronon returned home.

She laughed out loud as John stumbled in a vain attempt to keep up with his partner, receiving a sour look in return. Conceding defeat, he quickly bowed as the music faded and made his way over to her.

"You did the right thing in skipping that little number."

Her mouth twitched. "I thought that you did surprisingly well."

His eyes narrowed at her earnest expression and he waited for a moment before replying. "Liar."

The feel of his fingers weaving into hers sent a shiver down her spine as he closed the gap between them. "Why don't you show me how it's done?"

"I already have. Several times." She began to pull away but he followed her.

Her body arched into his instinctively at the feel of his breath against her ear. "Show me again. I'm sure I'll the hang of it this time."

The song was slower than the last and she was pleased to see him watching the twirling couples surrounding them, keen to grasp the routine. She smiled in encouragement whenever his eyes met hers with uncertainty. Falling into a rhythm that was second nature to her, she revelled in the feel of his body against hers. They both laughed as they bowed, signifying the end of the dance, his fingers tight around hers.

"See? I didn't step on your toes once." He slowly let go of her hands and signalled behind him. "I'm gonna go get a drink, you want one?"

She shook her head in reply and watched him retreat before turning her attention to the figure approaching her. "Malan."

The man lowered his head in greeting before leading her to the perimeter of the hall. He spoke as they came to a halt and reached for two filled glasses from the nearest table. "Teyla, I hope that you are enjoying yourself?"

"I am indeed, as is Colonel Sheppard. Thank you again for the invitation."

Her smile faltered as she caught a flicker of resignation in his expression. "Is there something wrong, Malan?"

She followed his gaze to where John stood conversing with another member of the council. Turning back to her companion, she watched with concern as he opened his mouth before closing it again, reluctant to speak.

"I am...well, I am surprised at your desire to keep your relationship with the Colonel a secret. I understand the need for privacy, but I would have thought that you would wish to share your happiness with your team mates, especially when you profess to be as close as family. Doctor McKay is most certainly unaware."

Her gaze wandered to the other side of the room once more as she contemplated her answer." I...my relationship with the Colonel is that of a team mate and a friend. Nothing more."

Comprehension slowly replaced the confusion in her host's expression. "I see. It seems that I have drawn the wrong conclusion -"

"I would be very interested in knowing how you reached it."

He chuckled, surprised at her statement. "From the dancing of course."

Her eyes drifted to the dance floor as she tried to distinguish between the way the Valecians were moving and how she and John had behaved.

"I don't understand."

He sighed as he realised that she was telling the truth. "I apologise, I should have made you aware of our ways. During the Royal Ball, it is customary to dance with as many partners as possible. Those who do not follow the custom are either wed or betrothed. It is unusual to see two friends dancing together so frequently."

Her attention lingered on John as he stood with the chancellor across the hall, refilling his glass. "I see."

She turned her head at the sound of Malan clearing his throat.

"Please do not concern yourself with the matter. It is an old custom, that is all. One that need not apply to those who are unaware of it." She smiled and was about to look away, but he continued. "I am simply, well, curious as to why Colonel Sheppard did not inform you."

She looked up at her companion in surprise. "Colonel Sheppard was aware of this custom?"

"Certainly. I myself discussed the Ball with him this morning, at great length. He was keen to learn the etiquette as he called it. He said that 'he was bored of all the cultural misunderstandings'."

Malan's eyes flickered past her shoulder, and she turned to find John approaching them. He held out his hand silently, waiting for her to accept before placing his glass on the table nearby and leading her to the centre of the room.

Their bodies fell easily into each other as they swayed to the music, slower and more deliberate than previously. Drawing her eyes up to meet his, she pressed herself into him, her fingers light and teasing against his tip of his spine. She listened as he inhaled deeply, felt as his arms tightened around her and watched as desire and hunger flickered across his face.

She held her breath as he bent forward to whisper in her ear. "Let's get out of here."

x x x

His grip on her hand tightened as she stumbled across the sand. Pausing, he watched as she slipped the shoes from her feet and held them by the ribbon as she took the lead, smiling over her shoulder at him. They walked a little further before stopping when the sand became firmer underfoot. She turned to find his eyes slowly making the journey across the length of her body, a smile playing on his lips. An eyebrow arched in reply as he finally met her gaze.

"Just admiring the view."

Suppressing a grin, her fingers left his explore the skin exposed by the gap in his shirt with the faintest of touches. Hooded eyes and unsteady breath encouraged her to make her way to his midriff, unfastening the garment with ease. The sound of her shoes falling to the ground enticed his eyes to widen, just in time to see her hands travel upwards and pull him to her.

If her actions at the ball had been hesitant and open to misinterpretation, her kiss was the exact opposite. Confident and unwavering, she used her entire body to coax a response. It came faster and more decisively than she had expected, and she clung to him as his arms enveloped her.

When he finally did pull away, he rested his forehead against hers.

"Are you sure?"

She barely heard the whisper as the waves crashed onto the shore nearby.

"Yes." Her fingers moved to brush his lips. "Yes."

Grinning, he moved as if to kiss her again but dipped at the last moment, crushing his lips against her neck instead. She moaned as his mouth moved lower and he fell to his knees in front of her. Her own legs buckled as he lifted the thin fabric covering her thighs before his fingers, and later his tongue, explored the bared skin and forced her to clutch his shoulders to keep her balance.

He filtered out the noise of the water in one direction and music drifting across the dunes in another, and concentrated on her; light moans and words that he couldn't quite make out urging him on. His other hand dug into her hips as she swayed gently to his rhythm as well as that of the sea. Finally she let out a cry that was carried away by the wind as he moved his hand to the small of her back to steady her.

Glancing down at him as her pulse slowed once more, she was surprised to see doubt and hesitation. He held his breath as she lowered herself onto him.

The kiss was timid to begin with, respite from the need to appease the hunger that had led them to the bay. He groaned into her mouth as her fingers released the string of his trousers with ease and slipped beneath the fabric. His tongue matched the rhythm of her hand as their sense of urgency built up once more.

Breathless, she pulled back and opened her eyes slowly, relieved to see desire replace uncertainty in his eyes. He made a noise of disappointment as she lifted herself up onto her knees and leant back from him before he realised that her hands were tugging at his clothing. She moved to the side to let him shift his weight onto his elbows and spread his legs beneath her before raising his hips as she pulled the fabric down to uncover his thighs.

His eyes shone up at her as she finally sank down onto him with a gasp. Her attention turned to his trembling arms as he struggled to control the desire to move. Her hands trailed slowly from his waist to his shoulders as she leant forward.

"Move with me," she whispered before pulling him upright. He went gladly, crushing her against him as he matched her downward thrust with one of his own.

She moaned as he ran his tongue from her collarbone to her jaw before following the slick trail with his teeth. She didn't realise that he had reached behind her to unclasp the dress until the enclosure around her chest was released, and she gasped as the cool air enveloped the newly exposed skin. She watched as he pulled the material down to her waist before palming one breast and devouring the other with his mouth.

Her rhythm faltered as his fingers trailed across her abdomen before settling between her legs. She felt intoxicated by the touch, taste and feel of him. She could barely hear the whispers perforated by his groans as her body throbbed with pleasure. He raised his head to swallow her cry before his own was smothered against her shoulder as he thrust upward for a final time.

She rested his forehead against his as they struggled to control their breathing. Reaching between them, he pulled her dress over her chest once more and reached around to secure the fastening. She shivered as he lifted her gently to her knees before raising his hips to secure his trousers, smiling up at her as his head fell onto the sand.

He waited for her to settle against him before wrapping his arms around her.

"Why now?"

"Does it matter?"

She felt his puff of laughter rather than heard it. "No. But indulge me."

She slid to the side until only one leg covered his and propped herself up on her elbow. "You knew that we should have shared only one dance."

"That rule doesn't mean anything, not to us."

The moonlight did little to hide her expression as she lowered her head and brushed his lips with hers. "It means something to me."


End file.
